Glad you like my new avatar, Roisin! Compliments of our pal, Salvadore Dali!

well that is very interesting about Satan and the baby. I just wondered what the heck was going on there, thanks for explaining it to me. It was an excellent movie and I think that Mel Gibson did an outstanding job and I am so thankful that he is being so richly blessed because of this film. It is like one evangelist said, Robert Schuller, is that his name? He said that he told Mel that God had him do this film and I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment.

Maybe it is just me, but personally I had a problem with children being portrayed as the demons or should I say that the other way around.

For what it is worth, in one of the EWTN Gibson interviews, he said that evil does not come in an easy to recognize form, most of the time. Often, evil will masquerade itself as something innocent and pleasing. It was his purpose to demonstrate this. He didn't refer to this scene explicitly (I don't think he did, anyway. I've slept since then. ) but it would seem to apply here. We don't normally associate evil with children (unless you are a teacher ). !!Just Kidding!!

Just my tuppence.

Andy

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Just my tuppence.

Andy

Never drink to excess; you might shoot at a tax collector and miss. - Robert A. Heinlein

He said that he had the idea for this movie several years ago, and it slowly took form. It wasn't just thrown together like so many movies are. He has indeed put a lot of thought and study into his screenplay.

Personally, I wish he would write the story of his faith journey. I think it would make for fascinating reading!

As for the devil with the baby, I heard on an ETWN interview with the Jim C. who played Jesus say the meaning was that Satan was taking what was good and holy, a love between a mother and her son and twisting it and using it to mock Jesus. That scene freaked me out. Gibson sure personafied evil in this movie. I've never seen it done this way before. It also gave me another perspective on how evil (Satan) might work or manipulate.

That scene freaked me out too! Like andy said, evil can come looking like anything wonderful - such as a mother and child - but when the veneer is stripped away, it looks like that 'mother' and 'baby'.

And all too true that evil disguises itself as something pleasing. It wouldn't tempt us otherwise. If it looked like what it was, there would be little difficulty turning from it.

I agree as well that the children were just children, but Judas in his madness saw them as something else.

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Compassion is the sometimes fatal capacity for feeling what it is like inside somebody else's skin. It is the knowledge that there can never really be any peace and joy for me until there is peace and joy finally for you too. - Frederick Buechner

If society prospers at the expense of the intangibles,how can it be called progress?

Personally, I wish he would write the story of his faith journey. I think it would make for fascinating reading!

andy, I totally agree with you. Mel Gibson is a complicated man or should I say that he has many sides. As for his journey toward the truth and love of Jesus Christ, I am very interested in reading about it, so I hope he writes an autobiography soon.

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Roisin-Teagan

"There, in that hand, on that shoulder under that chin---all of its lightness delicately balanced and its strings skillfully bowed---it becomes a voice."---Rich Mullins

"At 18, if you have oversized aspirations, the whole world sees you as a dreamer. At 40, you get the reputation for being a visionary." ---Rich Mullins

"God gives the gifts where He finds the vessel empty enough to receive them."---C.S. Lewis

Glad you like my new avatar, Roisin! Compliments of our pal, Salvadore Dali!

I thought that looked like Dali. Where did you get it? I have been having the same avatar since I started Celticradio. Maybe I need a change?

Actually, Roisin! A friend of mine who loves art and Dali sent it to me who thought I might like it cause it was a painting of a rose and I fell in love with it! I also looked up Salvadore Dali on the net and a print of the painting was there also.

PARIS (Hollywood Reporter) - One of France's leading independent cinema groups has refused to program Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," which it has branded "fascist propaganda."

"I refused to program the film in my network of theaters," MK2 president Marin Karmitz said in a written statement forwarded to The Hollywood Reporter. "I have always fought against fascism, notably through my exhibition activity. For me, 'Passion' is a film of fascist propaganda."

Karmitz's MK2, which also is involved in film distribution, runs one of Paris' leading art house circuits with 58 screens across 10 cinemas.

"Passion" is due to be released March 31 in France by Quinta Distribution, the new firm of Franco-Tunisian producer Tarak Ben Ammar. Ben Ammar's Paris office declined comment on Karmitz's view of the film.

The critics concerning the film are devastating in Europe - especially in Germany, too.I've been to the movie. I don't have the words to describe this experience. You all did it so much better than I ever could and I agree fullheartedly with all of you.I'm beginning to understand the extent of HIS sacrifice and HIS love...But it wasn't quiet in the theater. Few people who seemed to feel like me who were crying, touched as deep as one can be and more...Many people left when the movie was over before the light went on again, leaving while the movie was still shown...and the media it is spoken of too much violence, unnecessary brutality, careless researched, anti- Semitic ...

I'm sitting here asking me if it is the same movie me and them are speaking about and why the reaction is so much different...I don't know...

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"Now here's my secret", said the fox, "it is very simple. It is only with ones heart that one can see clearly. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

("The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery)

"The soul would have no rainbow, if the eye had no tears."(Native American Proverb)

The critics concerning the film are devastating in Europe - especially in Germany, too.I've been to the movie. I don't have the words to describe this experience. You all did it so much better than I ever could and I agree fullheartedly with all of you.I'm beginning to understand the extent of HIS sacrifice and HIS love...But it wasn't quiet in the theater. Few people who seemed to feel like me who were crying, touched as deep as one can be and more...Many people left when the movie was over before the light went on again, leaving while the movie was still shown...and the media it is spoken of too much violence, unnecessary brutality, careless researched, anti- Semitic ...

I'm sitting here asking me if it is the same movie me and them are speaking about and why the reaction is so much different...I don't know...

Our critics in the U.S. were divided on the Passion of the Christ movie. But I noticed that the ones with all the negative critizim weren't actually professional critics, but media reporters with an agenda. Our professional critics loved the film, and some of those critics were Jewish as well. First of all the movie is a form of art, not the Bible. It is based strongly on the four Gospel accounts and is the most accurate film done on the subject of Christ.

French society is very humanistic and reject any form of religion. The French government passed a law in 1998 citing that paganism, Christianity, and other religions as cult religions. It is against the law to tell people about your religion or what you believe in on grounds you are trying to brain-wash or manipulate a person into your belief. A little tight in the shorts over there---maybe too much starch in the wash?

What are people really afraid of here anyway? Is the movie going to start a cultural revolution or what? Maybe. Have Americans risen up in anarchy because of the film? No. Have Americans attacked Jewish Temples or the Jewish people? No! Most people who starred in the Passion of the Christ were Jewish. The film is powerful, but not dangerous in the sense its critics are implying. As these detractors in France and Germany blow their horns against the movie they are in essence propelling the film forward. I hope more people see the film and listen to its message of love, sacrafice, and forgivness.

I find it really illustrative that Mexican government authorities have given The Passion an "X" rating, thereby assuring (they think) that no one under 18 y/o will be able to see the movie. Yeah, right. Whatever. Thy can't even keep their side of the border secure, how are they gonna keep a determined 16 y/o from seeing a movie.

But Mexico has a long history of anti-clericalism/anti-Catholicism in its government, in spite of (or perhaps because of) the large percentage of the population who are Roman Catholic. Mel Gibson, being a Catholic, it is hardly surprising that Mexican authorities have tried to stymie the release of this movie.

I'm sitting here asking me if it is the same movie me and them are speaking about and why the reaction is so much different...I don't know...

I agree with Roisin, I think the uproar comes from fear. As the song says - What if what they say is true? If this movie is true, then those who have comfortably dismissed Christ for so long as a nice little myth or fairy tale suddenly have to look the Truth in the face. So much easier to instead dismiss the movie.

Here in America there is a good number of people that are either fearful of or have complete disdain for Christianity. Do Christians have a superior attitude that others dislike? Have Christians tried to bible-thump too many people into the faith that others are now resentful of?

The French humanists and the Mexican anti-Catholics are no worse than the American agnostics/atheists.

I've seen "The Passion" renamed to "The Jesus Chainsaw Massacre" on other message boards, and it hurts. I don't treat other's faith that way, so why do strangers treat my faith that way?

I saw the movie as a huge message of hope and promise. We have dosenz of movies extolling the qualities of witchcraft and vampirism - why can't we have one about Christianity? I thought the rest of the world was loudly preaching Diversity, so why not celebrate our diverse faiths?

I'm sitting here asking me if it is the same movie me and them are speaking about and why the reaction is so much different...I don't know...

I agree with Roisin, I think the uproar comes from fear. As the song says - What if what they say is true? If this movie is true, then those who have comfortably dismissed Christ for so long as a nice little myth or fairy tale suddenly have to look the Truth in the face. So much easier to instead dismiss the movie.

Fear...that sounds quite logical for me. Sure, it's much easier to refuse than to get involved to anything that might shatter your emotions, convictions, comfy way of "letting go"...that might possibly question alot you considered as right or given before.Every third German won't go to see the movie. They all have already made up their opinion - only by some scenes which have been shown before or by what has been written by "experts". Evenif they go they have their prepared opinion, they are not ready to open their mind, heart and senses for this movie, this message, this EXPERIENCE.For me, quite honestly, it was not easy at all to go. I also was afraid. I was afraid to deliver myself totally to this message of sacrifice, forgivness, hope and most of all love of an extent man can hardly realise and imagine.And it worked exactly the way I had been afraid of.I was shocked, shattered fundamentally; then I opened myself and I felt: burning guilt - I'm as guilty or better said no less guilty than everybody else of HIS suffering. Modesty. I got the message of forgivness and most of all of HIS LOVE and I FELT this love and all of a sudden all the walls of protection I had built up around me out of fear of being hurt again or out of , oh so silly!, denial broke down. I "delivered" myself and found my way back. I'm not worth of this sacrifice and I'm grateful for his love and forgivness - and for the hope the Ressurection gives.It is the best movie I've ever seen though I wouldn't call it a movie. I have no word for it...EXPERIENCE is the neariest I can think of.Is this film "Hollywood"...made out of personal , egoistic thoughts and aims, showing the personal view of Mel Gibson as it is critisized...or is it more; as it is so powerful ...and what if it is true...all you who you are dismissing it...One thing the movie surely succeded in is that there is hardly a way not to get into "contact" with it...